Bulwark Takes: Trump’s Lawsuit Could Destroy Journalism
Release Date: May 19, 2025
Host/Author: The Bulwark
Participants: Tim Miller, jvl (Author of the Triad newsletter)
Introduction
In the May 19, 2025 episode of Bulwark Takes, Tim Miller and his colleague jvl delve into a critical development impacting American journalism: former President Donald Trump's lawsuit against CBS News and Paramount. This episode dissects the implications of the lawsuit, leadership upheavals at CBS, and the broader ramifications for the media landscape.
Leadership Changes at CBS News
The episode opens with Tim Miller addressing significant leadership departures at CBS News. He highlights the resignation of Wendy McMahon, the network’s President and CEO:
“...CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon is stepping down from the network. In a memo to staff, she cited leadership differences, quote, 'it's become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward.'”
[00:00-00:48]
jvl adds context by referencing a recent resignation of another top executive:
“Bill Owens had left a couple weeks ago and now Wendy McMahon. First of all, it is interesting to me that private sector executives and producers have more gumption and willingness to resign in protest than elected representatives in the Republican Party.”
[02:58-03:20]
These departures suggest internal turmoil within CBS News, potentially linked to external pressures and strategic disagreements.
Trump’s Lawsuit Against CBS News and Paramount
The core of the discussion centers on Trump’s lawsuit alleging misconduct by CBS News and Paramount in the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris during her campaign:
“Trump has filed a lawsuit against CBS News in 60 Minutes and Paramount. The allegation being that they ran an interview with Paramount Kamala Harris during the campaign and edited it...”
[00:48-01:06]
jvl provides a deeper analysis, suggesting that the lawsuit may be a strategic maneuver tied to corporate interests:
“It is legalized and ritualized bribery. Because what happens the parent company, it's a shakedown. The parent company is trying to have a merger, Paramount and Skydance. And this has to be approved by the federal government.”
[01:08-02:53]
He argues that Trump is leveraging civil litigation to pressure the government into approving the Paramount-Skydance merger by extorting favorable treatment through a settlement, potentially involving non-disclosure agreements that could hinder future journalistic endeavors.
Implications of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit’s ramifications extend beyond legal battles, signaling potential decline within CBS News:
“Trump has been an innovator in American life, that he's figured out how to use civil litigation to extort government favors.”
[02:28-02:53]
Tim Miller discusses CBS’s precarious position in the evolving media landscape, noting the decline of linear TV and CBS's struggles compared to other networks with robust streaming options:
“Linear TV is dying, right? So CBS as a news brand is dying and it's in kind of like even worse shape really than, you know, the other networks who have more spin off opportunities into streaming...”
[04:02-04:49]
Future of CBS News under New Ownership
The conversation shifts to the potential outcomes of the Paramount-Skydance merger and its impact on CBS News:
“I just think that's what CBS ends up looking like, right? Like on the back end of this, which is you cut a ton of the overhead and spending and it is a, you know, not like it's not becomes like a Fox News style mouthpiece, but it just ends up becoming like kind of a toothless, you know, very.”
[04:49-05:56]
jvl speculates that under new ownership, CBS News might pivot away from investigative journalism toward softer news formats, akin to CBS Sunday Morning:
“It's just like the CBS News thing, which is like four different pieces, right? They have a morning show, evening show, then news magazine and the Sunday show. Like at some point... is it worth the trouble?”
[06:14-06:36]
Tim Miller adds that flagship programs like 60 Minutes might remain due to their current profitability, but the overall investigative rigor could diminish post-merger:
“I don’t know, like look at CBS Sunday Morning, right? It's like their soft interview focus show. Like why not just turn all of CBS News into that...”
[06:50-07:58]
Broader Reflections
Reflecting on the broader implications, jvl questions whether CBS leadership foresaw Trump’s impact on their news division:
“I wonder if the people at CBS at the highest levels if they understood in 2016 that Donald Trump was an extinction level event for their news division.”
[07:58-08:18]
Tim Miller connects this scenario to current foreign policy challenges, emphasizing the dangers of prioritizing short-term financial gains over long-term strategic interests:
“If we just change to make the only consideration short term financial interests... then everything will turn out okay. That's the savvy move.”
[08:28-08:52]
Conclusion
The episode concludes with expressions of concern for the future of journalism and the individuals dedicated to it:
“I feel very, very bad for all of the real journalists... They have real people doing real important work there... CBS is a pretty serious broadcast network in terms of news and journalism and there are a lot of people there whose livelihoods are threatened...”
[09:06-09:38]
Tim Miller echoes these sentiments, acknowledging the valuable contributions of CBS’s news division while lamenting the potential decline in journalistic integrity:
“And you do good reporting across the news division there... It's tough.”
[09:38-09:56]
Final Thoughts
Tim Miller wraps up by reassuring listeners of The Bulwark’s commitment to ongoing coverage:
“Subscribe to the feed. We ain't going anywhere, and we'll be back here soon, so we'll see you then. Peace.”
[09:56-End]
Summary
In this episode of Bulwark Takes, Tim Miller and jvl explore the substantial challenges facing CBS News amidst Donald Trump’s lawsuit, leadership resignations, and potential corporate mergers. They dissect how these factors may lead to a significant decline in investigative journalism, emphasizing the broader threat to American media’s integrity. Through insightful analysis and poignant quotes, the hosts underscore the urgent need to preserve quality journalism in the face of political and corporate pressures.